Fishing lure



March 2, 1954 T. G. PRENTICE FISHING LURE Filed May 28, 1952 IN V ENTOR.

Patented Mar. 2, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FISHING LURE Thomas G.Prentice, Detroit Mich.

Application May 28, 1952, Serial No. 290,452 3 Claims. (01. 43-45) 1This invention relates to a fishing lure of the type such as isdescribed in Patent No. 2,552,113, granted to me May 8, 1951, whereinspring and latch means are provided to project a barbed hook intoengagement with the mouth of a fish upon seizure of the lure; and hasfor its object to provide for still greater sensitivity of this type oflure to responsive action upon being seized,

either completely or partially, by a fish in any of the several mannersin which a lure may be taken thereby.

body of the lure in substantial alignment there with when the device isbeing cast or drawn through the water; and wherein the fishing line isattached directly to the body of the lure so that no strain on the lineis imparted to the latch mechanism such as might result in prematureoperation thereof. 7

7 Still further objects or advantages additional or subsidiary to theaforesaid objects, or resulting from the construction or operation ofthe invention as it may be carried into effect, will become apparent asthe said invention is hereinafter further disclosed.

In carrying the said invention into effect, I may adopt the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, by way ofexample, having reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein: v

Figure l is a top plan view of a fish lure embodying the said invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same taken on a planeindicatedby the line 22 in'Fig'ure l;

' Figure 3 is a transverse section of the same taken on a planeindicated by the line 33 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view in plan of the rear end of thesliding rod of the device showing a method of anchoring the actuatingspring thereto;

Figure 5 is a partial longitudinal sectional view, similar to Figure 2,showing the position of the 2 latching device when rocked to a positionof release;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the upper portion ofthe lure illustrating the latching device moved to a releasing positionas the result of a longitudinal slanting motion; and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the lure showing asomewhat modified arrangement providing for the rocking of the latchingdevice to a releasing position, the device being shown in its latchingposition.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar parts in the severalfigures of the drawing.

ill indicates the body member of the lure which is shown as beingtubular to slidably accomodate the rod ll, said body being counterboredto provide an internal shoulder I2 and to accomodate a compressionspring l3; one end of which spring bears against the said shoulder l2and the other end against 'a link E4. The elongated shank iii of a'fishhook having a plurality of barbs I6 is attached to the said link It.

It will be seen that the body iii of the lure is urged forwardly of therod l I by the compression spring l3 and that the said body H may bemanually drawn rearwardly on the said rod against the resistance of 'thesaid spring 13 until the suitably shaped rear end portion of the saidbody it nests within the pointed ends of the barbs [6, as clearly seenin Figures 1 and 2, and shields these points in such a manner that theyare effectively prevented from snagging in weeds or obstructions inthewater as long as the hook is maintained in this shielded position.

, Special latching means about to be described are mounted on the saidbody for maintaining the body in this shielding position, until suchtime as the body is required to be withdrawn from its nested position inrelation to the hook such as when the said body is seized by a fish.

It will be noted that the body It has a weight H incorporated in theunder portion thereof and that the upper portion of the said body isrecessed at [8 to receive a rockable latch member [9, which maybe formedof wire as shown, secured in posi tion intermediate of its length in thesaid recess l8 by a staple'2il.

This latch member I9, in Figures 1, 2, 5, and 6, is shown as being bentintermediate of its length to provide a fulcrum point in proximity ofthe staple 20 so that the tail portion I9 is somewhat raised in thelatching position, as clearly shown in Figure 2, the rear terminalportion of the said member being upwardly looped, as at 2!,

to provide an upwardly extending projection or abutment which may bedepressed by a fish closing its mouth about the rear end portion of thesaid lure.

Such depression of the said abutment 2! in the manner described willresult in the corresponding elevation of the arcuate forward end 22 ofthe latch member, as shown in Figure 5, it being understood that, in thenormal or "closed" condition of the lure with the rod ll extendedforwardly on thebody I and the hook protected in the manner describedand shown in Figure 2, the end of the arcuate portion 22 of the latchmember is engaged in a suitably positioned hole "or recess 22' in thesaid rod H to maintain the assembly in this closed condition against thereaction of the spring l3.

The said arcuate portion 22 of the latch member I9 is loosely maintainedin position over the rounded forward end of the body member ID by thestaple 23 whereby the said :arcuate portion 22 of the forward end of thelatch member may ride Eback 'over the rounded, or cammed, front end ofthe body member upon the latch member being moved rearwardly thereof asby the pullof :a fish :closing its mouth about a projection 24 extendingupwardly of the said latch member. Thus, the rod 1 I is released thesame manner as described in .my earlier Patent No. 2,552,113, although arearward pull on the loop -21 could also-produce this same slidingaction of the latch member over the bod-y member.

.It will beseen that provision having been made .forthe unlatch-ing-ofthe rod l l by :both a pulling ractionzas well as a depressing action ofthe latch :member, the latch is rendered sensitive to the grasping :ofthe lure either completely or partial- :ly in .a variety of ways-characterizing the habits of :difierent types of fish, or thecircumstances under which the fish may take the lure. and this :greatlyenhances the assurance of the barbed J-hook being projected rearwardlyinto engagement with the fish under such differing circumstances.

the modified example shown in Figure '7, the fulcruming of the latchmember is secured in a slightly diiferent manner than that describedwith the reference to Figures 1 to 6; the latch :member in this case,instead of being bent as in the other figures, is straight and the bodymember longitudinally recessed, as at 25, beneath the rea-r end portionof the said latch member to provide a fulcrum point 25 about which thesaid :latch member may be vertically rocked by pressure on the abutment2| Theoperation of this latch member as shown in Figure 7,, of course,is

the same as that already described in reference to'the other figures inall essential respects.

This invention may be developed within the scope of the following claimswithout departing from the essential features of the said invention, andit is desired that the specification and drawing be read as being merelyillustrative of a practical embodiment of the same and not in :strictlylimiting sense.

Whatlclaim is:

1. A fishing lu-re comprisin a tubular body, a lineattached to the frontend of said body, a rod slidable coaxially through said body, a barbed 4hook having an elongated shank linked to the rear end of said rod, acompression spring resisting forward movement of said rod in said body,latch means for securing said rod in a position of forward adjustment insaid body wherein the rear end of said body nests protectively withinthe barbs of said hook, including a longitudinally slidable member onsaid body acting to unlatch said rod when said member is movedrearwardly relative to said body, said slidable member being alsofulcrumed intermediate its length with that portion of said memberrearwardly of said fulcrum being inclined outwardly away from said bodywhereby pressure on the rear end of said member in a direction radial ofsaid body will also unlatch said rod.

2. A fishing lure comprising a tubular body, a line attached to thefront end of said body, a rod slidable coaxially through said body, aline guide ring on the forward end of said rod, a barbed hcok having anelongated shank linked to the rear end of said rod, a compression springresisting forward movement of said rod in said body, latch means forsecuring said rod in a position of forward adjustment in said bodywherein the rear end of said body nests protectively within the barbs ofsaid hook, including a longitudinally slidable member on said bodyacting to unlatch said red when said member is moved rearwardly relativeto said body, said slidable member being also fulcrumed intermediate itslength with that portion of said member rearwardly of said fulcrum beinginclined outwardly away from said body whereby pressure on the rear endof said member in a direction radial of said body will also unlatch saidrod.

3. YA fishing lure comprising a tubular body, a line attached to thefront end of said body, a rod slidable coaxially through said body, abarbed hook having an elongated shank linked to the rear end of saidrod, a compression spring resisting forward movement of said rod in saidbody, latch means including a longitudinally slidable member on saidbody, having a portion thereof provided with a bend toward said rod forsecuring said rod in a position of forward adjustment in said bodywherein the rear end of said body nests protectively within the barbs ofsaid hook, and a portion of said body forming a cam element fortransforming longitudinal movement of said .member into radial movementof said Ilatch means relative to said rod, said slidable member beingalso fulcrumed intermediate its length with that portion of said memberrearwardly of said fulcrum being inclined outwardly away from said bodywhereby pressure on the rear end of said member in a direction radial ofsaid body will also unlatch said rod.

THOMAS G. PRENTICE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STA'ICES PATENTS-'Number Name Date 839,611 Martin Dec. 25, 1906 969.014 Walters Aug.'30, 1910 2,445,461 .St. John July 20, 1-948 2,552,113 Prentice May 8,.1951

